Tuesday morning. I’ve just come in from sitting outside on this tiny balcony gorged with sunlight. Church bells across the river toll a time for silence. Hands cupping a mug of coffee, I sit knees up, feet on a chair, feels like a prayer. Opening Night, Saturday, was bold and beautiful, rousing and triumphant! Here at home, The Fox soothes and whispers as I try to find words to express thanks and pride and humility for the gifts with which we are blessed. It is not lost on me, how lucky we are to have work we love, with people we love, for people we love, our audience. We’ve begun Season Five at Paramount with a fine achievement in Oklahoma!. The reviews and audience response glow with recognition for our collaboration and connection between the past and the present. The seventy-plus year old gem of a show is living and astonishing on the Paramount stage and has renewed appreciation for its story and music, its truly timeless beauty. It makes us all feel new and more alive!
In this morning quiet, a fresh resolve is stirred to continue and work harder and draw to us a better future we cannot even yet imagine. Can we wake up to the culture of how art brings us together and unifies us? How, as we aspire, we inspire? There is so much good in you!
Thank you for your reinforcement during the past months as I’ve shared with you the making of this season’s beginning! The doubts and set backs at times do well by your enthusiasm! We are destined to do great things together! Hope to see you at the theater and greet you and thank you in person, don’t hesitate to say hello!
Yesterday we had a thrilling walk-through Scenic Designer Linda Buchanan’s miniature model of her set for Hairspray with Director/Choreographer Amber Mak and her Paramount Production Team in the conference room. It’s electrifying! And, fingers crossed for tomorrow, we forge ahead with more auditions for this cast yet to be complete! Casting is also in flux for West Side Story as are plans for its design and new, original choreography by William Carlos Angulo, making his debut as Choreographer at Paramount! This is an astounding year for choreography at Paramount with Angulo following Amber Mak’s dances in Hairspray and Choreographer Rhett Guter’s work with Director Nick Bowling in our highly anticipated holiday blockbuster, A Christmas Story! Choreographer Katie Spelman’s brilliant, creative, new work for Oklahoma! has set the bar for the season and is causing a sensation! Don’t miss it!
You won’t believe this…looking for words to close by, I search out the window “and watch a hawk makin’ lazy circles in the sky!” You’re doin’ fine, Aurora!
Love & thanks,
Jim